Wherever the Flies Are, It Stinks

197

July 10, 2013

Published in Die Presse
(Austria) on 8 July 2013
by Wolfgang Böhm (link to original link to original)

Translated from by Sean Thacker. Edited by Bora Mici.

Does it surprise anyone that Europe’s intelligence agencies are cooperating with the U.S. National Security Agency?

No Western country is clean when it comes to this question. Starting with the U.S. after 9/11, the floodgates were opened up for a surveillance state. And the national intelligence agencies have gladly exploited the new opportunities — also in Germany and, to a lesser extent, in Austria. Big Brother — the U.S. — delivered the technology; in return, the doors were opened for him.

It is only natural that wherever intelligence agencies can spy on people, they do it. Their noble purpose gets ignored, particularly when their activities are not subject to legal and democratic controls. European Union countries are not any better in this regard than the U.S. They have allowed too much in the name of the war on terrorism. All the more irritating are statements such as those of Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel, which give the impression that this is purely a problem within the NSA.

It stinks in the constitutional state, which is why such questionable methods are being used.

Wen wundert es, dass Europas Geheimdienste mit der NSA kooperieren?

Sauber ist in dieser Frage wohl kein westlicher Staat. Ausgehend von den USA wurden nach dem 11. September viele Schleusen für den Überwachungsstaat geöffnet. Und die nationalen Geheimdienste haben mit Freude die neuen Möglichkeiten genutzt – wohl auch in Deutschland und in geringerem Maß in Österreich. Der große Bruder (USA) lieferte die Technik. Ihm wurden im Gegenzug Tür und Tor geöffnet.

Es liegt in der Natur der Sache: Wo Geheimdienste bespitzeln können, da tun sie es. Der hehre Zweck bleibt da schon einmal auf der Strecke. Vor allem dann, wenn diese Aktivitäten keiner rechtlichen und demokratischen Kontrolle unterliegen. Die EU-Staaten sind hier nicht besser als die USA, sie haben im Namen der Terrorbekämpfung allzu viel zugelassen. Umso irritierender sind Äußerungen wie jene von Hollande und Merkel, die den Eindruck hinterlassen, als wäre das ein reines NSA-Problem.

Es stinkt im Rechtsstaat und das zieht derlei zweifelhafte Methoden an.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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